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Sexual Harassment

Niagara County Community College does not condone any form of sexual harassment.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advance or sexually explicit derogatory statement(s) made by someone in the campus community.

Sexual harassment includes behaviors which are offensive, cause discomfort or humiliation to the recipient, and behaviors which interfere with the recipient's education or job performance.

Sexual harassment can consist of persistence, unwanted attempts to change a professional or educational relationship to a personal one. It can include unwelcome sexual flirtation and derogatory remarks about individual persons or classes of people.

Examples include, but are not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances; repeated sexually oriented kidding, teasing, joking, or flirting; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; graphic commentary about any individual's body, sexual prowess or sexual deficiencies; derogatory or demeaning comments- whether sexual or not; leering, whistling, touching, inching, or brushing against another's body; offensive, crude language; or displaying objects which are sexual in nature that would create a hostile or offensive environment. Such conduct is coercive and threatening and creates an atmosphere that is not conducive to teaching, learning or working.NOTE: Let it be known that the law covers women harassing women, women harassing men, men harassing men, men harassing women.

What Can You Do

SAY NO! Say it firmly without apologizing or smiling.

Keep a written record of what occurred. Include direct quotes; witnesses if any; and patterns of harassment. Save any cards or letters sent to you, regardless of how unimportant they may seem.

Tell the harasser, in writing, that you object to their behavior. Describe what offends or upsets you. Keep a copy of your letter for possible future use.

AMNESTY POLICY: The health and safety of every student at NCCC is of utmost importance. NCCC recognizes that students who have been drinking and/or using drugs (whether such use is voluntary or involuntary) at the time that violence, including but not limited to domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault occurs may be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. NCCC strongly encourages students to report domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to institution officials. A bystander acting in good faith or a reporting individual acting in good faith that discloses any incident of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault to NCCC officials or law enforcement will not be subject to NCCC's code of conduct action for violations of alcohol and/or drug use policies occurring at or near the time of the commission of the domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault.

Talk to someone you trust. This can be your supervisor, teacher, counselor, or an administrator. Equity and diversity should be contacted, room A-235, ext. 6295, in order to file a formal complaint. Incidents of sexual assault should be reported to the NCCC Campus Security Department at 614-6400.

NOTE: Filing a complaint with the College does not preclude a grievant from filing with an outside enforcement agency; such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or the State Division of Human Rights.

REMEMBER: Sexual Harassment is against the law. It violates Title VII of the Federal Amendments of 1972, Executive Order No. 19, 1983 of NYS, the SUNY-Wide Policy on Sexual Harassment, and SUNY Policy and procedures.

Who Can You Tell

You have the right to make a report to university police or campus security, local law enforcement, and/or state police or choose not to report; to report the incident to our institution; to be protected by the institution from retaliation for reporting an incident; and to receive assistance and resources from your institution.